Judge delays preliminary hearing for Nice man charged in 2011 slaying

LAKEPORT -- A judge Tuesday postponed a key pretrial hearing for a Nice man charged with killing a woman during a robbery attempt in Lucerne almost two years ago.

Daniel Ray Loyd was scheduled to have a preliminary examination at the end of this month, but his public defender, Mitchell Hauptman, had a scheduling conflict because of an out-of-county trial.

As a result, Judge Andrew S. Blum found good cause to continue the matter Tuesday afternoon at the Lake County Courthouse. The judge rescheduled the hearing for June 26.

Loyd, 51, has remained in the county jail since his arrest Sept. 13, 2011 -- the day authorities allege he shot Lake County resident Cindy Yvette Quiett while trying to rob her and another man in the area of Sherwood Court in Lucerne. Quiett, 48, died at the hospital soon after the early-morning shooting.

Loyd pleaded not guilty to six felonies, including murder, and denied all special allegations against him in October 2011, but his case has faced a number of delays since.

The most recent set of continuances occurred in the wake of Hauptman being appointed to the case last October. Loyd is on his third public defender because of conflicts with the other two.

The Nice man is due back in court June 21 to assign a courtroom for his preliminary examination -- a hearing during which a judge would decide if there's enough evidence to hold the defendant for trial.

Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or jwalsh@record-bee.com. Follow his court coverage on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh or #Lakecourt.